Do animals live after physical death?

blackhead said:

Jesus ate fish with his disciples so I don’t think that animals have eternal life.

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Maybe not quite like the way we shall have it, or do have it...?

God Bless!

No. Animals are purely biological creatures, without a spiritual nature or an immortal soul.

myst33 said:

I do not want to ask "are animals saved", because animals do not sin, so its not about salvation.

But are animals (well, I am asking specifically about our pets, not about some insects living in the wild) just temporal beings or do they have soul/spirit that lives after their bodies fail like ours? Will we meet them again?

I know that Bible (sadly) does not say much about this. There are few verses that are about animals (like "who knows, whether the spirit of the beast goes down" or Paul's restoration of creation), but these are quite ambiguous. So, what is your opinion or reasoning?

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You mentioned an important point in regards to sin and salvation.

We need to understand a few details about Genesis first. Genesis informs us that God breathed into Adam and he became a living Nephesh (soul), which implies that Adam had a body but there was the absence of being (the Self) until God breathed consciousness of self. Eve was created from the side of Adam, though scripture is silent on it, one would assume that God also would have breathed into Eve and she would have become a living soul. The human family is created in the image of God and they fell away requiring salvation through a saviour Jesus Christ and his salvation Cross.

Nothing goes to heaven that does not go through Jesus Christ and nothing lives after biological death that does not go through the redemptive works of the Cross in restoring them to God the Father. In essence in reply to your important point in regards to sin and salvation for animals, they are not accounted for and this comes down to why they were created before Eve in the first place. Animals were created for the purpose of companionship and when Adam fell, the animals also suffered without any wrongdoing of their own and God had not placed any impositions on the animals and in this regard sin and salvation is not applicable to animals and if it is not applicable then to live after biological death requires Jesus Christ and in this regard they cannot be accounted for in the absence of the Cross as the only means by which life after death was granted, in that it was granted to humanity only and through Jesus Christ. Animals do not have this access to heaven and do not have access to the Cross and do not have access to Jesus Christ and in this regard are not accounted for in the transition from this temporal life to the afterlife in order to be with Jesus, let alone those to whom those pets belong to.

My personal opinion of what animals and/or pets are is beside the point, but in answering your questions below, I find it important to relate it to the above-explained -

Do they have soul/spirit that lives after their bodies fail like ours?

If they did then Adam's free will actions owing to a self-aware being should not have also condemned the animals along with him, as there were no impositions made by God upon them. Their bodies biologically die, but there is no free will agency owing to a self-being to continue afterwards.

Will we meet them again?

When God permits you to meet anyone in Heaven, they had to have been availed the Cross and come through the saviour Jesus Christ and as it stands and by your important opening statement in regards to sin and salvation, animals/pets are not accounted for, that is the path you go to be with Jesus is not the path availed to them and where they will be is not where you will be.

So, what is your opinion or reasoning?

This is an open-ended question, so I will opine. But firstly, let us study the verses you pointed to -

Ecclesiastics 3:19-22
For that which befalleth the sons of men befalleth beasts; even one thing befalleth them: as the one dieth, so dieth the other; yea, they have all one breath; so that a man hath no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity. 20All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again. 21Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth? 22Wherefore I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?

Notice that the author is posing a question and answering it himself. The question being does the spirit of man go up and the spirit of the beast stays downward in the dust of the earth?

There is nothing better for a man to rejoice at the prospects that his works through the redemptive works of Christ on the Cross shall bring him to realise what shall be after he biologically dies, in contrast to the animals who return to the dust like humans, but with the exceptions of man's works of faith that promises his spirit to rise up. So the writer is answering his own question by saying that though man and animal return to dust, man has the promise to live beyond the grave where the beast will stay down in the earth. The contrasting comparison is that the beast/animal is not going anywhere after they die in the earth, whereas a man may go up if they continue the works of faith in anticipation of what shall be after they biologically die.

myst33 said:

I think we have more ways of knowing God than just the Bible.

And I think its a good thing to think.

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It is good to think about things that matter or that are beneficial, absolutely... but what is the purpose of speculating whether animals will be in Heaven or not? What is to be gained from that effort of trying to find an answer to that question? Yes or no? Then what?

Does it draw one closer if they are or make God less if our pets are not "waiting for us on the other side"?

As to the question.....IMO... it's up in the air..

I do not believe that the love we can hold for our pets is wasted... I also cant see Heaven overflowing with purse dogs either...

I have found myself curious about this question at times myself.... but at the end of the day I dont dwell on the question because at the end of the day... it really doesnt matter either way in the grand scheme of things.

I believe animals have a soul and go to heaven when they die. I'm an animal lover, so I have owned many animals throughout the years of all kinds. Animals are similar to us in many ways. They all have their own personalities, likes, dislikes, and behaviors that set them apart. They have emotions, and can love. I do not see why they would not go to heaven, or somewhere similar, when they die.

Is the chicken I just ate in heaven now?

myst33 said:

I do not want to ask "are animals saved", because animals do not sin, so its not about salvation.

But are animals (well, I am asking specifically about our pets, not about some insects living in the wild) just temporal beings or do they have soul/spirit that lives after their bodies fail like ours? Will we meet them again?

I know that Bible (sadly) does not say much about this. There are few verses that are about animals (like "who knows, whether the spirit of the beast goes down" or Paul's restoration of creation), but these are quite ambiguous. So, what is your opinion or reasoning?

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Do a search for the near death experience account of Ms. Jan Price. She met her previously deceased Springer during her brush with death.

Another good point is if people believe their cat or dog is alive in heaven then that would mean the fish we eat, the cows, pigs, birds...etc would also be in heaven right? You can't say no because an animal is an animal.

Vicomte13 said:

A lot of people don't like it when you say it for various reasons.

I don't like it because you're just making it up. It's your opinion, not based on any revelation of God, and rather contrary to some of the inferences that can be drawn from what is in the Bible.

It's fine that you believe it. What is off-putting is your certitude about something that God has not revealed. Unless of course he talked directly to you and told you this. Did he?

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Well lets just apply what you think of it based on your own words since I assume you believe animals are in heaven:

I don't like it because you're just making it up that animals are in heaven. It's your opinion, not based on any revelation of God, and rather contrary to some of the inferences that can be drawn from what is in the Bible such as humans only have souls. Jesus died to save our souls, not animals.

It's fine that you believe it. What is off-putting is your certitude about something that God has not revealed. Unless of course he talked directly to you and told you this. Did he?

After the fall no one goes to Heaven except through one man Jesus Christ.

Animals fell along with Adam, where death reigned upon them, but salvation was only offered to human beings.

So what saves animals?

Notice that Jesus never talks about animals except for using them as a means of transaction and comparison to humanity who he came to save. Jesus uses animals to compare his homeless state to. Jesus uses animals to cast evil spirits into. Animals like frogs are used to symbolise evil. You will never get a good spirit who is to be saved entering an animal as in Hinduism. In fact Jesus compares his flock to sheep who are loyal and who follow their shepherd. Goats are used as a symbol of rebels and so forth.

So animals do not have a path that salvages them from the result of the fall. Jesus does not teach that animals are saved and so we ought not make another gospel to appease our hearts.

Animals are your companions in this temporal life and afterwards they exist no more beyond the dust of the earth.

Death came to both man and beast after the Fall.

God is not silent in regards to bringing salvation to his fallen creation. Therefore God declares his salvation plan and to whom it is offered to.

The mere absence of God revealing salvation for animals in scripture and by the absence of the teachings of Jesus and the Apostles in this regard, is the verifiable answer that animals remain in a fallen state and are not raised after they return to dust.

ToServe said:

After the fall no one goes to Heaven except through one man Jesus Christ.

Animals fell along with Adam, where death reigned upon them, but salvation was only offered to human beings.

So what saves animals?

Notice that Jesus never talks about animals except for using them as a means of transaction and comparison to humanity who he came to save. Jesus uses animals to compare his homeless state to. Jesus uses animals to cast evil spirits into. Animals like frogs are used to symbolise evil. You will never get a good spirit who is to be saved entering an animal as in Hinduism. In fact Jesus compares his flock to sheep who are loyal and who follow their shepherd. Goats are used as a symbol of rebels and so forth.

So animals do not have a path that salvages them from the result of the fall. Jesus does not teach that animals are saved and so we ought not make another gospel to appease our hearts.

Animals are your companions in this temporal life and afterwards they exist no more beyond the dust of the earth.

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Animals just are what they are, their not evil, but nor are they good, only because those terms do not apply, they just are what they are, and yes, are fallen along with us right now, but the spirit they are of or from, is not in itself evil at all, and if it were not for the fall, well...

There will be animals in heaven and/or paradise... And I think if someone wanted their sweet little "snooky" back or something, I think God would make it happen for them...

Some animals and beasts we'll ride, ect, give us transport, ect... Some animals may even be meant to provide us with something, somehow, in other ways also... Animals, (other living creatures), will be an integral, and integrated part of our society and how it functions and operates there, in "that place"... Some animals (creatures, beasts) will be very important and will have an important role to play and/or fulfill "there"... for us though...

God Bless!

Neogaia777 said:

Animals just are what they are, their not evil, but nor are they good, only because those terms do not apply, they just are what they are, and yes, are fallen along with us right now, but the spirit they are of or from, is not in itself evil at all, and if it were not for the fall, well...

There will be animals in heaven and/or paradise... And I think if someone wanted their sweet little "snooky" back or something, I think God would make it happen for them...

Some animals and beasts we'll ride, ect, give us transport, ect... Some animals may even be meant to provide us with something, somehow, in other ways also... Animals, (other living creatures), will be an integral, and integrated part of our society and how it functions and operates there, in "that place"... Some animals (creatures, beasts) will be very important and will have an important role to play and/or fulfill "there"... for us though...

God Bless!

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I think a lot of things will be "living" and/or "alive" there... We may have "living star-ships" or something like that maybe, with it own consciousness and it in itself being a actually highly intelligent, some maybe even more or way more intelligent than us, but whose purpose is to serve man, especially "there", in some and/or maybe a lot of capacities, anyway, "life-form"... Or some "beasts" (or animals, creatures) to that effect...

We may encounter creatures and lifeforms, and get to know many living creatures and life-forms, the likes of which, we have never seen or encountered before, or maybe could ever even possibly imagine, that could even scare us a bit at first, if for not that, that they are a part of the peaceful Kingdom of God, and are peaceful creatures by nature... And there will be a purpose for all them, centered around "us", there...

I image with some or many of them, they will not only be living creatures, and not only some of them, probably very large also, (yet very intelligent but also very very peaceful) but glimmering and shimmering with light, kind of translucent in a way, as everything will be glimmering and shimmering with light, including us in our glorified bodies there... The "flesh" I guess you could say will be "different" there... And, nearly the whole Kingdom is going to be "alive" and living there...

I'm telling you, it gonna be awesome!

God Bless!

Neogaia777 said:

Animals just are what they are, their not evil, but nor are they good, only because those terms do not apply, they just are what they are, and yes, are fallen along with us right now, but the spirit they are of or from, is not in itself evil at all, and if it were not for the fall, well...

There will be animals in heaven and/or paradise... And I think if someone wanted their sweet little "snooky" back or something, I think God would make it happen for them...

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I agree with what you have presented with the exception of who God accommodates for and why in his Father's house of many rooms?

In Genesis, animals were an integral part of creation with human beings. However, if you read 1 Corinthians 15, Revelation of Jesus Christ and what Jesus taught, you will discern that what is sown with the earthly is not what will be in the resurrection after it biologically dies. In the resurrection, we shall put on the Heavenly like the Lord of Heaven Jesus Christ and this means we will be like the angels in Heaven.

Animals are not accommodated in that angelic realm for the dwelling of the celestial beings who are the many Holy Ones, the White Cloud that accompanies Christ in his Father's house. We are being prepared and clothed for the Father's house dwelling, where animals were never created to dwell in because they are of the beast of the earth, that is Genesis.

Once the first earth and the first heavens dissolve at Christ's second coming, then the New Jerusalem will be inhabited by the celestial beings. Animals will not be clothed with the Lord's Heavenly garments, because that is what is required in order to dwell with the redeemed in the resurrection (1 John 3:2).

Neogaia777 said:

I think a lot of things will be "living" and/or "alive" there... We may have "living star-ships" or something like that maybe, with it own consciousness and it in itself being a actually highly intelligent, some maybe even more or way more intelligent than us, but whose purpose is to serve man, especially "there", in some and/or maybe a lot of capacities, anyway, "life-form"... Or some "beasts" (or animals, creatures) to that effect...

We may encounter creatures and lifeforms, and get to know many living creatures and life-forms, the likes of which, we have never seen or encountered before, or maybe could ever even possibly imagine, that could even scare us a bit at first, if for not that, that they are a part of the peaceful Kingdom of God, and are peaceful creatures by nature... And there will be a purpose for all them, centered around "us", there...

I image with some or many of them, they will not only be living creatures, and not only some of them, probably very large also, (yet very intelligent but also very very peaceful) but glimmering and shimmering with light, kind of translucent in a way, as everything will be glimmering and shimmering with light, including us in our glorified bodies there... The "flesh" I guess you could say will be "different" there... And, nearly the whole Kingdom is going to be "alive" and living there...

I'm telling you, it gonna be awesome!

God Bless!

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I cannot really opine on what you have stated, but I am of the understanding that New Jerusalem accommodates only those who have entered in by the blood of Jesus, with the exception of the Old Covenant Daniel's people who were given access by Jesus when he made a stand for them on the Cross at Calvary. Either way, the path is to Christ's Father's house and scripture does not speak of anything else dwelling in it.

ToServe said:

I cannot really opine on what you have stated, but I am of the understanding that New Jerusalem accommodates only those who have entered in by the blood of Jesus, with the exception of the Old Covenant Daniel's people who were given access by Jesus when he made a stand for them on the Cross at Calvary. Either way, the path is to Christ's Father's house and scripture does not speak of anything else dwelling in it.

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No other living creatures but us...? Are you sure...?

myst33 said:

I do not want to ask "are animals saved", because animals do not sin, so its not about salvation.

But are animals (well, I am asking specifically about our pets, not about some insects living in the wild) just temporal beings or do they have soul/spirit that lives after their bodies fail like ours? Will we meet them again?

I know that Bible (sadly) does not say much about this. There are few verses that are about animals (like "who knows, whether the spirit of the beast goes down" or Paul's restoration of creation), but these are quite ambiguous. So, what is your opinion or reasoning?

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Jesus fed fish to 100's. So no. Only man has a soul.
That's a poor precedent to eat God's animal friends
if they will be back in the next life.

I really like my Friday Fish Fry without worrying they will meet me in the next life, swimming around my head in Heaven, taunting me.

Neogaia777 said:

No other living creatures but us...? Are you sure...?

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Revelation of Jesus mentions New Jerusalem but no mention of a physical Sun, Moon, Sea, Animals.

Unless it explicitly mentions something in the Father's house other than those redeemed from the earth and clothed in white, then I cannot presume otherwise.

myst33 said:

I personally do not think that fish or insects have personality. Thats probably what you name as "soul".
Some animals can be tamed and humans can have relationships with them. You cannot do it with a fish or with a beetle.Everybody who had a cat, a dog or a horse knows that these animals are different, they can be our real friends. Thats why they are not eaten in the majority of civilized world. These animals clearly have a soul.

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Dog's are eaten anywhere people are hungry enough. I'd show you pictures, but I don't want to see them again.That's the reason hairless dogs exist.

I've had dogs in my house my entire life.They are no smarter than any other wildlife in nature. They have no more personality than chipmunks, squirrels, skunks, and any zoo creature. One of my dogs will pee on the other unless the other moves away. One of the two avoids....what he steps in...the "smarter" one does not. The dumber of the two is more cuddly and warm. What you consider "a soul" is the dumber of the two dogs who can't take care of himself in the wild. My "colder" one might just make it in nature.

Five Hairless Dog Breeds: Man's Best (Naked) Friends